Transfer-gripper-operating mechanism



June 17; 1930. JACQBSON 1,764,104

TRANSFER GRIPPER OPERATING MEkiHANISM Filed Dec, 7, 1928 i if, Illlh I Illlll F t fizz/6772 5; LL tiff/2dr 6 Jacobaofl,

Patented June 17, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIcE ARTHUR G. JACOBSON,OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

ASSIGNOR TO THE MIIEHLE PRINTING PRESS & MFG. COMPANY, OF CHICAGO,ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS TRANSFER-GRIPPER-OPERATING MECHANISMApplication filed December 7, 1928.

This invention relates to operating mechanism for sheet feeding devicessuch as are used in printing press or other sheet handling machinery.

The invention is particularly adapted for use in connection with thattype of sheet feeding apparatus known in the art as transfer or stopgripper mechanism whereby sheets are conveyed from sheet supportingmeans to sheet handling means such for example as an impression cylinderof a printing press.

In )rinting presses, it is highly important that accurate register ofthe sheets fed to the printing couple be maintained.

In order to maintain such register, it is therefore necessary to holdthe sheets under positive control during the feeding operation so thatno slippage can occur.

In connection with sheet transfer mechanism of the kind to which thisinvention relates, and in order to avoid any slippage of a sheet duringits transfer movement from the sheet supporting, i. e, sheet registeringmeans, to a printing member or the like, it is essential that thecarrier of the transfer mechanism be at rest when it engages a sheetprior to its removal from the sheet supporting means, and that suchcarrier reach the surface speed of the printing member or the like atthe time a sheet is being transferred thereto.

Therefore one of the principal objects of my invention consists in theprovision of operating mechanism which assures proper function of thetransfer mechanism by imparting to the sheet carrier an acceleratedmotion from the time it has engaged a sheet at the sheet supportingmeans to the moment when it transfers the sheet to the grippers of aprinting member or the like.

A further object of my invention is to provide positive operatingmechanism which is simple in construction and reliable in its operation.

Other objects and novel features of my improved operating mechanism willbe apparent from the following description and appended claims.

In order to exemplify my invention, I

Serial No. 324,476.

have illustrated one preferred form in the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the operating mechanism showing it asapplied to a printing press;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the operating mechanism seen from theright of Figure l; and

Figure 8 is a section taken through line 33, showing the gripperoperating cams.

According to the preferred form of my invention, I transmit motion tothe cam shaft 10 through the intermediary of a gear 11 which meshes withthe cylinder gear 12 mounted at one end of the impression cylinder 13.The shaft 10 carries an operating cam 14 which engages a cam roller 15arranged at the free end of an operating arm 16 which latter ispivotallymounted on a shaft 17 or on the frame of the press.

Any desirable means, such as a compression spring or the like may beemployed to urge the roller 15 against the cam let. The reciprocatingmotion imparted to the operating arm 16 by the cam 14L is transmitted tothe transfer gripper mechanism by means of a connecting rod 18, thelower end of which is pivoted in an extension 19 of the arm 16 while theupper end of the, rod 18 is connected to a yoke 20 formed on the hub 21which is rigidly mounted on the rock shaft 22 which latter supports thebracket whereon the grippers and associated parts of the transfergripper mechanism are mounted.

The position of the transfer grippers 23 and cooperating gripper pads 24as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 is that at which the grippers are at rest andengage the leading edge of the'sheet 25 placed on the feedboard 26, inother Words, the roller 15 rides over the low portion 27 of the cam 1and consequently no motion is transmitted by the rod 18 to the transfergrippers. As the cam 14 continues to rotate in an anti-clockwisedirection as viewed in Figure 2, the roller 15 will ride towards thehigh portion 28 of cam 14 and the transfer motion of the transfergrippers will be accelerated accordingly, until the high portion 28 ofthe cam 14 is reached by the roller 15, as indicated in broken lines onFigure 2, and at which time: the transfer grippers 23 will have assumedever,'after the sheet has been transferred to the cylinder grippers,will continue to move in an anti-clockwise have reached the end of theirfeeding stroke,

when they will commence their return movement towards their positionshown in Figure 2, at which time the roller 15 will again ride Over thelow portion 27 of the cam 14.

. The operation of the cams 30 and 31, which are mounted concentric withrespect to the rock-shaft 22 and which actuate the grippers 23 and pads24, is described in a co-pending application, Serial No. 324,409, filedDecember 7, 1928, by J. R. Blaine. Preferably said cams are driven at aconstant speed by the cylinder gear 12 through the intermediary ofpinions 32, 33 and gear 34, in a direction opposite to the direction ofrotation of the cam 14, and in opposite directionto the path of thesheets fedto the press.

" It will be readily understood that any shock or vibration set up bythe cooperation of cam .14 with the roller 15 during the transferring ofa sheet from the transfer grippers: 23 to the cylinder grippers 2 9 maybe absorbed in. any suitable manner such as for instance bymeans of coilsprings or the like. With this purpose in View, I preferably-provide anadditional cam 35 which cooperates with a cam roller 36 mounted on anextension. 37 of the operating arm 16. This preferred form ofarrangement assures in a simple manner a positive operation of the arm16' and the cooperating parts whereby motion is transmitted to thetransfer grippers 23.

In order to provide for a convenient and accurate timing of the transfergrippers 23 relative to their operating cams 30 and '31,

the connectingrod 18 is made adjustable in any suitable manner, such asfor instance by means oft-right and left hand turn buckle threadconnections formed intermediate its ends andindicated at38 in Figure 1.

As will beseenfrom Fig. 3, the transfer grippers 23, and theircooperating gripper pads 24 which are carried by a bracket 41 pivoted at42 to an arm 43 on the rock-shaft 22, are providedwith cam rollers 39and respectively. The roller 39 rides over cam 31 whereby the grippers23 are opened and closed, while the roller 40* cooperates with cam 30-tomove'the grippers and the pads 24 in and out of their operativeplanefor the purpose described in said co-pending application.

While scribe one preferred design of my transfer direction until they Ihave chosen to illustrate and degripper operating mechanism,I wish it tobe understood that various modifications could be readily incorporatedwithout departing from the spirit of my invention and therefore I intendto cover any such modi-' fied forms of construction that will comewithin'the scope and essence of the appended claims.

I claim; a I

1. In a printing press, the combination of a printingmember, a sheetsupport, sheet feeding mechanism to transfer a sheet from said supportdirect to said printing member and comprising a sheet transfer memberhaving sheet engaging elements, operating means to transmitreciprocating motionto said sheet transfer member, and means to actuatesaid sheet engaging elements, said transfer member, its operating meansand the means whereby said sheet engaging elements are actuated, movingat the same ratio of speed With respect to said prlntlng member.

2. In sheet feeding mechanism, the combination of a sheet transfermember having sheet engaging elements, means for transmit;-

tingreciprocating motion to said transfer member, means to actuate saidsheet engagtinually rotating element, and means to withdraw said gripperand pad from their operative plane. i

4. In sheet feeding mechanism, the combi-l nation of a continuallyrotating element for transmitting accelerating motion to a sheettransfer member having a sheet engaging gripper and cooperating gripperpad, con- 'tinu'ally driven cams mounted concentrically with saidtransfer member for operating said gripper and rotating in oppositedirection to said continually rotating element, and means to withdrawsaid gripper and pad'from their operative plane;

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 30th day of November, 1928.

ARTHUR G. JACOBSON.

